(NECN/CNN: Rafael Romo, Kill Devil Hills, N.C.) - Hurricane Irene is leaving the Bahamas behind, and her next stop is North Carolina's Outer Banks.
What happened in the Bahamas is a glimpse of what is expected along the East Coast this weekend. Watches, warnings, cancellations and evacuations are issued as Hurricane Irene churns her way across the Atlantic and up the eastern seaboard.
While it brought out the surfers, most are taking heed of the warnings. Readying for Irene in North Carolina, people are boarding up and heading out.
Irene is expected to bear down on or near the Outer Banks on Saturday, bringing winds of more than 100 miles an hour.
Ahead of the storm's expected intensity, seven states from North Carolina to Connecticut have declared states of emergency.
